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Retail & E-commerce
Amazon, Walmart, Target
Advertising and Promotions Managers
Advertising and promotions managers plan campaigns that persuade people to buy a product, use a service, or pay attention to a brand. The job is distinctive because it sits between creative work and hard numbers: you have to shape the message, coordinate teams and agencies, and still prove the campaign is worth the money. That tradeoff is real, especially in a field where pay is strong but employment is projected to edge down by 2.2%.
Also known as Advertising ManagerPromotions ManagerMarketing Promotions ManagerAdvertising DirectorPromotions Director
Median Salary
$126,960
Mean $149,270
U.S. Workforce
~21K
2.1K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+-2.2%
27K to 26.4K
Entry Education
Bachelor's degree
+ Less than 5 years experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Advertising and Promotions Managers sits in the Business category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~21K workers, with a median annual pay of $126,960 and roughly 2.1K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to decline from 27 K in 2024 to 26.4K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with Bachelor's degree in marketing, business, communications, or a related field, and employers typically expect less than 5 years of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Marketing Coordinator and can progress toward Marketing Director. High-value skills usually include Media Planning, Buying & Campaign Reporting Tools, Google Analytics, Meta Ads Manager & Digital Performance Tracking, and Adobe Creative Cloud & Ad Copy Review, paired with soft skills such as Active Listening, Critical Thinking, and Social Perceptiveness.
Core Responsibilities
- Reach out to businesses or groups to explain what the campaign or service offers and why it matters to them.
- Build a list of target customers, dealers, or distributors and find the contacts needed to promote to them effectively.
- Work with sales staff, agency partners, and company leaders to choose channels, shape the message, and prepare campaign materials.
- Review ads, scripts, images, and videos to make sure they fit the brand, the brief, and any required standards.
Keep exploring: more Business careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Reach out to businesses or groups to explain what the campaign or service offers and why it matters to them.
02 Build a list of target customers, dealers, or distributors and find the contacts needed to promote to them effectively.
03 Work with sales staff, agency partners, and company leaders to choose channels, shape the message, and prepare campaign materials.
04 Review ads, scripts, images, and videos to make sure they fit the brand, the brief, and any required standards.
05 Lead the campaign team by setting priorities, keeping people moving, and solving problems when deadlines or approvals slip.
06 Track spending and campaign results so you can tell whether the work is delivering the response the company expected.
Industries That Hire
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Consumer Packaged Goods
Procter & Gamble, PepsiCo, Unilever
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Media & Entertainment
Disney, NBCUniversal, Warner Bros. Discovery
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Technology & Software
Google, Salesforce, Apple
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Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals
Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, CVS Health
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Travel & Hospitality
Marriott, Hilton, Delta Air Lines
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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Pay is strong for the occupation, with a mean annual wage of $149,270 and a median of $126,960.
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The work blends creativity and analysis, so you are not stuck doing only one kind of task all day.
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There are still about 2.1 thousand annual openings, which means hiring does continue even in a small field.
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A bachelor's degree is the standard entry point, and 60.02% of workers have one, so the path is clear for newcomers.
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The skills transfer across many industries, from retail and tech to healthcare and entertainment.
Challenges
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Employment is projected to slip from 27.0 thousand in 2024 to 26.4 thousand in 2034, a decline of 2.2%, so growth is not a selling point.
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This is a small occupation with only 21,100 workers, which can mean fewer openings in any one city and more competition for the best roles.
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The job depends on measurable results, so a weak campaign or a budget cut can quickly put pressure on the role.
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The work is often under tight deadlines and involves several layers of approval, which can slow down creative decisions and make the job frustrating.
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Some day-to-day media planning and performance tracking can be automated by ad platforms and AI tools, so parts of the work are vulnerable to technology and changing buying methods.
Career Progression
Marketing Coordinator
0-2 years
$45K-$65K
Supports campaign setup, gathers materials, updates timelines, and helps keep ad and promotion projects organized.
Advertising and Promotions Manager
3-8 years
$110K-$150K
Runs campaigns end to end, works with agencies and internal teams, and is accountable for budget, timing, and results.
Senior Advertising and Promotions Manager THIS ROLE
8-12 years
$150K-$200K
Leads larger campaigns or multiple brands, manages bigger budgets, and makes higher-stakes choices about media and messaging.
Marketing Director
12+ years
$200K-$300K
Sets strategy across brands or business units, oversees managers, and connects advertising plans to broader revenue goals.
Education Paths
Bachelor's degree in marketing, business, communications, or a related field
The most common entry point, held by 60.02% of workers in this role.
Associate's degree with strong experience in promotions, sales, or media support
A smaller path, held by 8.04% of workers in this role.
Master's degree, often for candidates aiming for bigger brands or faster advancement
A less common path, held by 5.87% of workers in this role.
Professional certificate in digital marketing, media buying, or advertising analytics
Not a common formal entry route in the distribution, but it can help candidates who already have work experience in marketing, sales, or content production.
Key Skills
Technical
Media Planning, Buying & Campaign Reporting Tools 77%
Google Analytics, Meta Ads Manager & Digital Performance Tracking 76%
Adobe Creative Cloud & Ad Copy Review 75%
Excel, PowerPoint & Budget Tracking 74%
Salesforce, HubSpot & CRM Platforms 72%
Audience Segmentation & A/B Testing 70%
Soft Skills
Active ListeningCritical ThinkingSocial PerceptivenessSpeakingWritingJudgment and Decision Making Job Outlook and Trends
+-2.2%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
2.1K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 27K to 26.4 K over the next decade, representing -2.2% growth. Around 2.1 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Moderate. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.